Electric signal for street-car crossings



(No Model.)

(J. A. PARRISH. ELBGIIRIO SIGNAL FOR STREET GAR oaossmes.

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UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES A. PAR-RISH, OF JACKSON, MICHIGAN.

ELECTRIC SIGNAL FOR STREET-CAR CROSSINGS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 570,046, dated October 27, 1896. Application filed January 23, 1896. Serial No. 576,620. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. PARRISH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jackson, in the county of Jackson, State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Electric Signal for Street-Car Crossings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to signals at streetcar crossings, which signals are operated by the trolley-wheel contacting with circuitmakers supported by the trolley-wire over the track.

An important object of this invention is to operate three circuits for giving and stopping the signal, all supplied with electric energy from the same source, and with the use of only one set of magnets controlling circuitmakers.

Other objects consist in the improved construction of the circuit-makers, all as more particularly described and claimed below.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a diagrammatical View of the three circuits, their magnet and circuit-makers. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the contact-lever 17 in Fig. 1, looking from a point at the left; Fig. 3, a plan of circuitterminals 21 in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 shows the contact-lever 24 and connections in Fig. 1, looking from a point at the right; and Fig. 5 is a view of same looking from a point at the left.

The cases or boxes which in use inclose the parts in Figs. 2, 3, and 4 are not shown in these figures.

At the crossing, which would be at the left hand in Fig. 1, is located the signal, comprising, to illustrate an operation, the bell 6, lights 7, magnets 8, and the signal-circuit maker 9. At the crossing is also located the circuit-maker 10 for stopping the signal, which in use is supported in the usual manner by the trolley-wire 11, no supports being here shown, merely the bottom closure of a box which would cover in the usual manner the wires and connections of the circuitterminals 3 and 33. This crossing may be where a wagon-road crosses a street-car track or where one track crosses another. Each way out from the crossing a proper distance is located the circuit-maker13, Figs. 1, 4, and 5, for giving the signal by the contact with it of the trolley-wheel 14. Only one of these circuit-makers are here shown, the one at the right in Fig. 1, ,but it will be understood, as stated, that there is one located out each way from the crossing and supported in the usual manner by the trolley-wire 11. Vith the armature 15, at the upper end, is pivoted a bar 16 at one end, and the other end of said bar is pivotally attached to .the upper end of a contact-lever 17, the latter of which is pivotally supported at 18, near its upper end, to some suitable support attached to the signal case or box. (Not shown.) The lower end of this contact-lever 17 is provided with a metal V-like contact-point 19, insulated from the lever by hard rubber or the like 20. This point 19 contacts in the operation with circuit-terminals 21 in making the signal-circuit, as explained farther on. r Fig. 3 shows a plan of these circuit-terminals 21, flaring apart at the ends and having insulation 41 between them. The contact-lever is slotted at 44, Fig. 2, and'through this slot is passed the ordinary bar 45 for adjusting the fall of the armature 15, the end of which bar con-v tacts with the spring 46, attached to said armature. This bar 45 is shown broken, but in use is of course attached to some suitable support.

The contact-lever 17 and the armature 15 are in their normal position in Fig. 1 and are so held by the gravity of the armature 15, so that the contact-point 19 will be well away from the circuit-terminals 21 when at rest. By constructing and arranging these parts in this manner the circuit-wires are not liable to become entangled with or rest upon the contact-lever 17 and armature l5; neither will moisture entering the case or box inclosing them when in use run upon and remain upon them to interrupt their proper working.

The circuit-maker 13 for giving the signal consists in a metal plate 22, attached to the under side of the bottom closure of a box 42, like that described in connection with the bottom closure 40, over the trolley-wire 11 in a horizontal position. It is provided with a post 23 for the attachment thereto of the circuit-Wire 1. To one end of this metal plate 22 is' pivoted a vertically-hanging lever 24, preferably made of insulating material, (shown at 27 in black, Figs. 1, 4, and 5,)

which lever is faced on one side with the meta 25, which metal also forms the hingecontact with the plate 22 and is faced on the back and ends with metal 26. The metal 26 merely protects the insulated material of the lever 2L and may be used or not, as desired.

Vhen the trolley-wheel ll contacts with the lever 24. in approaching a crossing, said wheel comes in direct contact with the plate 25, and thus forms a closing of circuit 1 with the wheel.

At the crossing the circuit-maker 10 for stopping the signal consists of a vertical lever 28, pivoted at the upper end to the bot tom closure 40, Fig. 1, and being provided with an upwardly-extending arm on each side at 29. These arms terminate in a V-shaped contact-point, consisting of metal 30 outside, insulated from the arms by hard rubber or the like 31'. Above each contact-point is a set of cireuitterminals 82 and 33. The inner one of the circuit-terminals 32 is conn ected with the on ter one of the circuit-terminals by wire 4, and the inner one of the circuittermina-ls is connected with the outer one of the circuit-terminals by wire The three circuits employed are traced as follows: Circuit 1 extends from post 23 of cireuit-maker13 over the signal-Wire to magnets 8 and onto the track (or ground). Aresistance-coil may be used in circuit 1, or other lights, or any suitable method may be adopted to increase its resistance. Such a resistance-coil is shown at t3, Fig. 1. The next circuit 2 begins at feed-wire, thence through lights 7 to hell 6, and from lights to circuit-terminals 21, thence to magnets 8 and onto the track (or ground). Circuit 3 starts at circuit-terminals 21 and extends to the circuitterminals in the circuit-maker 10 at the crossing, attached to wire 4, thence from wire 5 onto wire 7 or ground. Circuit 3 also eX tends over the wires connecting the circuitterminals and and onto the track or ground.

In the operation, supposing a car to approach the crossing from the right hand in Fig. 1, the trolley-wheel 14:, forming a contact with plate 25 of the circuit'maker13, would energize the magnets S, causing the contact-point 19 to contact with the circuitterminals 21. This at once establishes the circuit 2, reenergizing the magnets 8 and holding the contact-point 19 locked in contact with the circuit terminals 21, and hence circuit 2 gives the signal. The signal c011- tinues to ring until the car gets to the crossing, and the trolley-wheel operates the lever 28 of the circuit-maker 10, which causes one of the contact-points to contact with a set of the circuit-terminals, 32 in this particular instance, in going in the other direction,) making circuit 3, releasing the contact-point 19, and stopping the signal. Thus it will be seen that circuit 1 energizes magnets 8 and makes circuit 2, which circuit holds contactpoint 19 locked and rings the bell, and that making the circuit 3 stops the signal, all in the system employing only the single set of magnets 8 and all circuits receiving their electric energy from the same source.

So far as this particular system is concerned I do not wish to be limited to the circuit-makers shown.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. A signal apparatus, comprising a circuit-maker adapted to be closed by contact of the'trolley-wheel, a set of magnets, a circuit from the circuit-maker to the track or ground and including therein the signal-wire and said magnets, cireuit-terminals, a contact-lever with contact-point and operated by the armature of the magnets to contact with said circuit-terminals when the trolley-wheel closes the circuit-maker thereby closing the signal-circuit and reenergizing the magnets, a signal a circuit from the feed-wire to the track or ground and including therein the signal the magnets and circuit-terminals, a circuitanaker for stopping the signal, and a shunt-circuit running to the track or ground and including the signal, substantially as set forth.

2. A signal apparatus, comprising a set of magnets,the contact-lever with contact-point, circuit-terminals in position to be contacted by said contact-point, the circuit-maker to be operated by the incoming car, the circuitmaker to be operated by the car in passing the crossing, a circuit from first-named cir cuit-maker through magnets and to track or ground, a circuit from feed-wire through signal and circuit-terminals thence through magnets and onto track or ground, and a shuntcircuit running to track or ground and including the signal, substantially as set forth.

In a signal, the combination of a set of magnets, circuit-terminals, a pivoted contactlever provided with a contact-point for contacting the circuit-terminals, a bar pivotally connecting at one end with the upper end of the armature of the magnets, and at the other end with the upper end of the contact-lever, substantially as set forth.

4:. A circuit-maker, comprising a horizontal plate, and a vertically swinging lever hinged to said plate, said lever composed of insulating material, having a metal plate on one side and com posing the part of the hinge, said plate being adapted to be contacted by the trolley-wheel, substantially as set forth.

In testimony of the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

CHAS. A. PARRISII.

\Vitnesses:

HOMER A. PARRIsH, MYRON W. PARRISH.

IIC 

